Career Opportunities

You may be surprised to know that a degree in physics or astronomy will make you highly sought-after in the workplace. What kinds of jobs are out there? Besides the expected employment sectors such as research labs, universities and technology companies, graduates obtain careers in the following areas, among many others:

• finance
• small start-ups
• military contracting
• natural resource industries
• aerospace
• environmental consulting

What makes a physicist so employable?

In part, it's the math, computer, and laboratory skills you obtain during your studies. But more importantly, it's the ability for physicists to solve real-world problems quickly that creates the big advantage.

What can I do with an undergraduate degree?

About half of the students graduating with Bachelors of Science degrees in physics or astronomy go on to graduate school, obtaining their master's (MSc) or Ddctoral (PhD) degrees. This helps them get even more interesting and better-paying jobs.

According to a 2006 study by the American Physical Society (the largest association of physicists in North America), within one year of graduation the employment of physics/astronomy PhDs was as follows:

• 47% in academia
• 20% in government positions
• 27% in the private sector
• 6% in `transitional' jobs

The highest pay tended to be in the private sector (such as finance or natural resources), where the sky's the limit! The salary was best (on the order of US$75,000 - $100,000 in the first year) in permanent positions such as in government-funded research and development laboratories. Salaries were lower (on the order of US$50,000 - $75,000) in university positions, but these salaries increase with experience.

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For more career ideas, plus advice, networking, job search and professional development opportunities, visit our Career Links page.